Amusement device



Nov. 14, 1961 J. H. WIENDL 3,008,716

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1958 7 I Qf' F15 J. T 1M I Aifiw' INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,008,716 AMUSEMENT DEVICE John H. Wiendl, 6043 N..-118th St., Milwaukee, Wis.

Filed Dec. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 777,706

2 Claims. (Cl. 273110) the provision of a new and improved amusement device adapted to test the skill ofthe player in effecting the movement of a playing piece from one end of the board toward the other end of the board in an attempt to deposit the playing piece in one of a series of spacedly positioned recesses in the board through manual tilting movements of the board.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an amusement device in the form of a tiltable board having recesses adjacent one end thereof for the receipt of a playing piece wherein the recesses bear suitable baseball indicia so as to simulate a game of baseball.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a game board which is mounted on a single point support disposed intermediate the ends and sides of the board to facilitate the universal tilting movement of the board under the manual control of the player.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of visible means for indicating the success of the player in'effect-ing the deposit of the playing piece in one of the recesses formed in the board.

Another object resides in the provision of an electrical circuit in conjunction with the several recesses formed in the board so that the deposit of the playing piece in any recess formed in the board will effect the illumination of a light to designate the value obtained on the particularplay.

'Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a counter means by which the score of the game may be tallied.

. Other objects and advantages of the amusement device will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the amusement device showing the same' positioned on a suitable support such as a table top; 7

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section view through the board, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 3, showing a playing piece in progress along the board together with a portion of the board which includes an electricpower source ill the form of a flash light battery and a light bulb energized therebywhen the playing piece closes electrical contacts by its deposit in a recess of the board;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the board, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the positioning of the recesses in the board and light bulbs housed in compartments which correspond respectively with the several recesses formed in the board.

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken on the line 44of FIG. 3 showing indicia representing the respective values of the several recesses formed in the board;

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical circuits embodied in the device; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on 3,008,716 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 ice the line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing a playing piece resting in one of the recesses of the board to efiect the closing of one of the electrical circuits to afford visible means for evaluating the score of a player for a given play. l V

While the present amusement device is disclosed in the form of a game simulating baseball, it is to be understood that the various recesses formed in the board may be given either numerical values or other suitable identifications.

In the present instances, I have chosen to utilize a playing piece comprising a hollow capsule containing a ball bearing which is free to move within the capsule to effect progress of the playing piece along the surface of the board under the influence of the tilting movements of the board in response to its manual manipulation by the player. The utilization of a playing piece in the form of a capsule challenges the skill of the player byreason of the unstable unpredictable movement ocf the playing piece under the influence of the manual manipulation of the board- It should be understood, however, that the playing piece, inthe form of a hollow capsule, may be replaced by a solid ball which is advanced along the playing surface of the board in the same manner in which the capsule is advanced.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that the illustrative embodiment of the amusement device comprises a board 10 of suitable dimensions wherein its length is substantially three timesthat of its width. A single point support in the form of a pin or post 11 is positionedrintermediate the ends and sides of the board and extends downwardly from the bottom surface thereof to raise the major portion of the board above any suitable support for the same such as a table top 12. The single point support 11 aflfords afulc-rum on which the board may be tilted by the player to effect the advance of a playing piece 13 along its upper surface. A suitable upstanding marginal railing 14 surrounds three sides: of the board 10 to restrict the movement of the playing piece 13 to the confines of the board 10. One end of the board lt) constitutes the starting point for the playing piece 13 and a' plurality of recesses 15, in the form of holes are suitably placedin any desired spacedrelationship adjacent the other end of the board 10. An extension-is "applied to the under surface of the board 10 in the form of a plate 16 which provides a bottom closure fo'r'the holes orrecesses 15 and extends beyond the end of the board 10 to define an area 17 disposed below the top surface of the board'lll to provide for the receipt of the playing piece 13 in the eventth at the player is unsuccessful in effecting its deposit in one of the recesses 15 in the board 10. v

A suitable housing 18 which rises from the surface of the plate 16 forms a closureffor the end of the device adjacent the recesses 15. Referring more particularly to FIG; 2 of the accompanying drawing, it will' be noted that the housing 18 includes a lower compartment 19.which houses a source of electrical energyiin the form of a flash lightbattery 20 which serves to selectively illuminate. the several lamp bulbs 21 housed respectively between partitions 22 which divide an upper compartment 23 of, the housing 18 into several individualcompartments. A window 24 formed of any suitable transparent material serves as a closure for the frontof the upper compartment23. j f

Referring more particularly to FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that a fixedly positioned electrical contact 25 is mounted on the plate '16 and ex tends into the recess 15 formed in the board 10. A moveable electrical contact 26 positioned directly above the fixed contact 25 is also mounted on the plate 16 and extends into the'recess 15. Under normal conditions these contacts are in open relationship, however, they are closed upon the deposit of the playing piece 13 in the recess 15. The playing piece 13, in the present instance, comprises a hollow capsule which contains .a ball of lead 27 which is free to move from one end of the capsule to the other as the board 10 is tilted by the player. In addition to efiecting the unstable and difficulty controlled movement of the playing piece along the surface of the board 10,'the weight of the ball of lead .27 and playing piece 13 is suflicient to effect the closing of the normally open electrical contacts 25 and 26 when the playing piece is deposited in one of the recesses 15. v

FIG. of the accompanying drawing illustrates the schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit embodied in the present device. The battery 29 is positioned in a clip 28 mounted in the compartment 19 of the housing '18. A pair of electrical contacts .29 and 3t) serve to resiliently retain electrical contact with the respective terminals of the battery 20. An electrical .conductor31 serves to connect the contact 29 with one side of the battery and one terminal of each of the filaments 32 contained in the several light bulbs 21. The other terminal of each of the filaments 32 is connected by a conductor 33 to the fixed electrical contact 25 of a switch located at the base of the particular recess 15 with which the particular light bulb 21 is associated. The other electrical contact 26 of the switch is connected by a'conductor 34 to a common conductor 35 which leads to the electrical contact 30 to complete the electrical circuits of the device. The deposit of the playing piece 13 in any one of the recesses 15 will eflfect the illumination of the associated light bulb 21 to indicate the value or score obtained by the player on any particular play.

As indicated previously, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention simulates a baseball game wherein the eight recesses 15 each represent the possible resulit of a turn at bat for the player. In the event that a playing piece fails to be deposited in any of the recess'es 15 formed in the board and lands in the area 17 of the board the batter or player'has scored an out. However, should the playing piece 13 be deposited in one of the recesses 15, the player scores in accordance with the illuminated indicia associated with the particular recess.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the foremost recess designates a single. The two recesses 15 in the second row are each designated as strikes. The three recesses in the third row, fiom top to bottom in FIG. 3, respectively represent a triple, a base on balls and a double. The two recesses 15 in the back row both representhomeruns.

The first player positions the playing piece 13 on the surface of the board 10 at theend remote from the recesses 15 and then grasps the side rails '14- of the board in both hands and elevates the same to a position Wherein they ball of lead 27 begins to move within the capsule to effect the tumbling action of'the playing piece. The advance of the playing piece along the board is effected by the vertical and lateral tilting movements imparted to the board by the player. By reason of the unpredictable tumbling action of theplaying piece 13, the player is called upon to use considerable skill in controlling the tilting movement of the board 10 in an attempt to deposit the playing piece in the most advantageous recess 15. Obviously, the playing piece may be inadvertantly deposited, by reason of its unstable movement, in any one of the recesses 15 or may even travel .to the area 17 of the board which represents an out. The player continues playing until such time as he :has made three outs. In the course of this play, or inning, the total of his tries is added to indicate the'number of runs, it any, that he has scored in the particular inning. The opponent then proceeds in like manner to take his turn at bat.

In order to facilitate the scoring of the game, two series of recesses 36 are formed in the top surface of the housing 18 and suitable pegs or markers 37 may be advanced by each of the players for the purpose of tallying the runs scored by them during the courseof the garne.

While the foregoing detailed description of the game simulates a baseball game, it is to be understood that the several recesses 15 formed in the board may be given either numerical or other indicia and that each player may be given either alternate turns at playing the game or any number of tries as agreed upon by the players in an attempt to register the largest scoring.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its embodiment wtihout departing from 'or sacrificing any of the advantages hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising a board defining a playing surface having a plurality of laterally and longitudinally spaced apertures formed in said board adjacent one end thereof, a supporting post fixedly attached to and depending from the bottom surface of said board at a point midway between its sides and in relatively close proximity to and forwardly of the foremost of the plurality of apertures formed in said board, said supporting post having a length approximately oneouarter. of the width of said board, :a rounded free end of said post to provide a pivot about which said post and board may be unitarily manually tilted, the length of said supporting post being sufficient to elevate said board above a supporting surface to permit unimpaired lateral and longitudinal tilting of said board through an angle in excess of 15 degrees, a playing piece positionable on the playing surf-ace of said board adjacent the end thereof which is remote from the apertures, said playing piece having a diameter smaller than that of the apertures to permit its deposit in any of the apertures, a housing rising from and disposed adjacent theapert u re d end of said board, a battery in said housing and plurality of compartments within said housing, a lamp bulb in each of said compartments, a normally open switch positioned at the bottom of each of the apertures in said board, electrical wiring connecting said individual open switches with said battery and said 7 light bulbs whereby the deposit of said playing piece in one of the apertures efiects the closing of a switch to illuminate the light bulb which corresponds with the aperture in which said playing piece is deposited, the advance of said playing piece being effected by the unitary manual tilting movement of said board and said piece to direct said playing piece toward the apertures for the purpose of testing the skill of the player in an attempt to effect a deposit of said playing piece in one of said apertures. V

2. An amusement device, as defined in claim 1, in which the playing piece is a hollow capsule having semispherical ends and containing a ball for tfree movement therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,837 Klein July 4, 1905 2,087,198 Chambers July 13, 1937 2,914,327 Gineta Nov. 24, 1959 airs,"- I- 

